There’s A Bright Future In Mobile Games For The Vacation Market

Some of the biggest names in vacation travel have been working hard behind the scenes developing their own branded range of exclusive gaming apps. In the past when companies unrelated to digital gaming tried to perform this tricky task, they were almost certainly going to be total failures. However, thanks to the wide variety of top-tier development companies now available, the general leisure industry can simply post contracts and receive a huge number of offers. While they may seem small fry to the big names such as Playtech and Microgaming, for smaller game developers looking to make a name for themselves they can be not just lucrative but also a showcase for their skills.

Why Is The Vacation Industry Developing Gaming Apps?

Branded gaming apps are an affordable means of delivering that elusive ‘extra value’ that appeals to customers. Once upon a time, customers would have been happy with just an in-house magazine, but the modern consumer now largely looks for digital content. This is because the vast majority of people now own smartphones/tablets and gaming has never been more universally popular. Throw in the fact that most leisure industry games are child-friendly (providing an often welcome break for mom and dad) and it isn’t surprising to see how popular they have become. Yet the problem, of course, is being able to deliver games of a commercial level quality with mass appeal.

Carnival Cruises Sets A Great Example

Carnival has been one of the foremost leisure services intent on delivering high-quality apps for passengers onboard (and on land) its fleet of over 100 liners. Already they have been a huge hit with their customer base as part of a larger revamp of their entire media services. The Miami based company has clearly invested a considerable sum in these apps – highlighted by their unveiling with a showcase event in Times Square, no less.

But what kind of games are on offer? The PlayOcean suite comprises of totally free to play games whereby people can compete with other passengers across a variety of games. These are largely gambling based but presented in a free to play fashion that kids can enjoy. For those looking to enjoy a more ‘adult’ gaming session then look instead towards the PlayOcean Casino where real money favorites are available 24/7. Unusually for a gambling app, these are designed so that they can only be used for actual gambling while at sea – the moment the ship reaches US soil they are disabled (clients can still withdraw funds, or keep them in their virtual wallets).

As for the games themselves, they’re the classics that one would expect from and seaborne casino. Poker, roulette, and slots are the mainstays and provide a quality way for people not in the mood for the hustle and bustle of visiting the onboard gaming pits. There’s also that old maritime favorite bingo (available on both free and money play) which many customers report as being one of the best renditions of the classic game on the market.

Where Next For Vacation Gaming?

Carnival has set the example that shows investing in a quality branded gaming platform can not only enhance the customer’s experience – but also provide another way of generating additional revenue. Cruise ships present a perfect setting for competitive gaming apps; after all, there’s not just a captive audience but also one open-minded to playing away those long days at sea. For this sector of the leisure industry, it’d be reasonable to expect a further roll-out in top-tier gaming apps across all of their major competitors soon.

Whether or not it would work so well for resort vacations is more open to question. After all, people can and often do head out exploring for much of their stay so if we’re to see similar developments on land, it’d likely be specialist packages licensed by one of the major gaming companies. Either way, what is, without doubt, is that people are more than ever demanding the opportunity to enjoy top quality games on demand – and that’s a trend unlikely to change for a very long time indeed.